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We saw this coming a mile away. Cisco releasing their "iPhone" barely a month before Apple's launch of their "iPhone" is definitely more than a mere coincidence.
Cisco Systems Inc. said Wednesday it is suing Apple
Inc. in federal court over Apple's use of Cisco's registered iPhone
trademark for its new handheld device. Cisco has owned the trademark on the name "iPhone" since 2000, when it
acquired InfoGear Technology Corp., which originally registered the
name.
Cisco's VOIP iPhone
And three weeks ago, Cisco's Linksys division
put the trademark to use, releasing an Internet-enabled phone called
"iPhone" that uses the increasingly popular Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP.
On Tuesday, Apple unveiled the iPhone, its "game-changing" touch-
screen-controlled cell phone device that plays music, surfs the Web and
delivers voicemail and e-mail.
[ via Associated Press]
"Cisco entered into negotiations with Apple in
good faith after Apple repeatedly asked permission to use Cisco's
iPhone name," said Mark Chandler, Cisco senior vice president and
general counsel,
in a statement. "There is no doubt that Apple's new phone is very
exciting, but they should not be using our trademark without our
permission."
Cisco is seeking injunctive relief to prevent Apple from copying Cisco's iPhone trademark.
"Today's iPhone is not tomorrow's iPhone. The potential for convergence
of the home phone, cell phone, work phone and PC is limitless, which is
why it is so important for us to protect our brand," Chandler added.
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